From water sports in far north Queensland to the latest show in Melbourne, Australia offers lots of great winter holiday ideas. In part one of this two-part series, Emily Bridges reveals the best from three states and a territory.
SEA: August is the best time to go diving or snorkelling in the Great Barrier Reef as the waters are clear and the weather free of summer storms. A variety of all-inclusive reef trips leave from Cairns, Northern Beaches and Port Douglas daily. Go snorkelling, do a certified diving course, introductory dive or Ocean Walker helmet dive. Quicksilver Cruises offers NRMA Members discounted diving and snorkelling trips.
Thrill-seekers can take on whitewater rafting on the Tully River, Johnstone River, Russell River or Barron River. The pace varies from mild to wild, so do some research beforehand. For a more laid-back pace, sea kayaking is a peaceful way to explore nature. Hinchinbrook Island, south of Cairns, offers trips from half days to week-long tours with expert guides and all equipment included.
And then, of course, you can always go fishing. The two most prized fish to catch in the far north are barramundi and marlin, but you can also try your luck at mangrove jack, coral trout, flathead, sooty grunter, barracuda, snapper, red emperor, sweetlip, Spanish mackerel, jungle perch and queenfish. The Tinaroo Dam on the Atherton Tablelands — a 90 minute drive from Cairns — was home to the biggest line-caught barramundi in the world. Before you make definite plans take into account bag limits, what’s in season and the fragile tropical ecosystem of far north Queensland.
You don’t need a fishing licence in Queensland to fresh water, salt water or beach fish. But you do need a Stocked Impoundment Permit (SIP) to fish in 29 of Queensland’s dams, including Tinaroo Dam.
Visit Fishweb or call (07) 3404 6999 for details on SIPs and bag limits.
ON LAND: North Queensland has a range of private golf clubs and public and resort courses, many with beach, mountain or rainforest scenery. Most clubs and resorts allow the public to play at set times so call ahead to arrange a tee-off time. Try 18 holes at Palm Cove, Paradise Palms, Port Douglas, Half Moon Bay, Mossman and Mareeba.
You can also explore the lush beaches, rainforests and mountain ranges on horseback. All-inclusive, guided expeditions run from half a day to a full week, and you don’t need to be an expert rider.
For the fit, the Cairns Mountain Bike Club has recently built The Smithfield Mountain Bike Park (McGregor Road, Smithfield), which offers cross-country, downhill and mountain X (combination of downhill and BMX).
HOT TIP: Once you’ve decided what activities you want to enjoy, use NRMA’s Travel Planner to organise your trip. It gives you detailed directions, lists events and attractions along the way, plus you can locate and book accommodation.
FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND MUST DO’S:
• Diving and snorkelling
• Whitewater rafting
• Sea kayaking
• Golfing
• Horse riding
• Mountain bike riding
For details on organised activity tours visit Cairns Visitor Centre or call (07) 4031 4355.
For 4WD lovers, winter is the best time to head to the Top End because the dry, clear weather helps you make the most of the many stunning National parks.
Kakadu National Park is easy to navigate with its mostly-sealed 457-km loop called Nature’s Way, a triangular drive that starts in Darwin, snakes its way through the Adelaide and Mary River wetlands and continues along Kakadu Highway to Pine Creek.
Visit Jabiru, the only Australian town to be set within a National Park; Ubirr for a splendid display of Aboriginal rock art and sunsets over the floodplains; and the one-and-a-half kilometre Nourlangie Rock Art Walk, one of the most ancient art galleries in the world.
Yellow Water Billabong at Cooinda in the park’s southern end is a refuge for wildlife, a place where crocodiles rule. Take a Yellow Water Cruise through the area for a surreal experience. As well, visit the Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre and 4WD to Jim Jim and Twin Falls, home to saltwater crocodiles.
The Nitmiluk National Park is home to the magnificent Katherine Gorge. Fifty kilometres long, it winds its way through red sandstone cliffs (carved out by torrential summer rains over millions of years) along the Katherine River. Take a self-guided canoe trip through the gorge, or go on a boat trip with the Jawoyn people (traditional owners of the land). There are loads of bushwalks including a 66-km five-day walk (you must register before you attempt any walk). Edith Falls — another part of the park — also features bushwalks and swimming holes while Katherine Hot Springs is perfect for a dip and picnic.
Garig Gunak Barlu National Park in Arnhem Land includes Cobourg Peninsula and is the only area in the Northern Territory that contains adjoining land and marine park areas. You can visit pristine beaches where turtles come to lay eggs, and in the monsoon forests behind banteng (wild ox) roam. A coastal 4WD track threads its way through the monsoon forest along the shoreline of the Peninsula while the waters of Garig Gunak Barlu National Park are ideal for fishing. Explore the ruins of Victoria Settlement, an eerie ghost town that was once a British settlement.
Only 15 permits to enter the park are issued at a time, so you’ve got the place pretty much to yourself. It’s serious 4WD country and you’ll need to take tide charts to work out when you can cross the East Alligator River.
The waterfalls and river pools of Litchfield National Park offer some of the only places where you can swim in the Top End and not become a crocodile snack. And you can access most of the major freshwater swimming holes by 2WD, including Buley Rockhole, a series of spa-like pools linked by small waterfalls. Wangi Falls is the most popular swimming area in the park. There’s also Florence Falls where a 15-metre stairway leads you to a plunge pool and a shady circuit walk winds through the monsoon forest beside the creek. Check out Adelaide River War Cemetery, Australia’s largest war cemetery, place of rest for civilians and service men and women killed in the 1942 air raids on Darwin.
The two-metre high termite mounds are amazing, as is Lost City (access by 4WD only) with its bizarre sandstone formations formed by thousands of years of wind and rain erosion.
HOT TIP: For more ideas on 4WD tracks around Australia plus maps and GPS readings, purchase NRMA’s Explore Australia by 4WD at NRMA's online bookshop or call 13 11 22.
WHEN YOU GO TO THE NT VISIT:
• Kakadu National Park
• Nitmiluk National Park
• Garig Gunak Barlu National Park and Cobourg Marine Park
• Litchfield National Park
For more details, visit Northern Territory Travel or call 13 67 68.
From history to music and theatre, Melbourne offers a cosy cultural respite from the cold.
Art lovers can view contemporary art on the Swanston Street Art Walk starting from Flinders Street at Federation Square while history buffs should make their way to the Scienceworks Museum, the Immigration Museum or the Melbourne Museum. Hamer Hall is a haven for music lovers with performances such as Breathtaking Vivaldi by the Australian Chamber Orchestra in July and Musica Viva’s 60th Anniversary Gala Concert in August. (Hamer Hall is in the Arts Centre. You can visit the Arts Centre for more details on what’s happening in Melbourne’s cultural district.)
Or if you want to catch a musical, The Lion King opens in Melbourne on July 28. Other events taking place this winter include the Melbourne International Film Festival which runs from July 21 until August 8 and The Age Melbourne Writers’ Festival from August 19 to 28, while the National Gallery of Victoria will run the ‘Dutch Masters from the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam’ exhibition through the winter.
WHEN YOU’RE IN MELBOURNE VISIT:
• Federation Square
• Scienceworks Museum
• Immigration Museum
• Melbourne Museum
• Hamer Hall Arts Centre
• National Gallery of Victoria
Winter on the north coast of NSW from the Central Coast to the Tweed is not only mild, it’s a haven for art lovers.
Check out ancient rock engravings and hand stencils by the original Darkinjung people at the Calga Springs Sanctuary on the Central Coast, or if you love sculpture visit Gallery 460 and Sculpture Park at Green Point (on the way to Avoca Beach). At the Ken Duncan Photography Gallery at Matcham (eight kilometres from Terrigal Beach) visitors can view photographs of Australia’s natural beauty, while further up the coast Lake Macquarie City Art Gallery will host an exhibition called ‘colour(less)’ from July 22 to August 28.
If you’re passing through Newcastle in mid-August, drop into the Newcastle Region Art Gallery and see the 2005 Archibald Prize. From August 20 you can also view Euan Macleod’s (winner 1999 Archibald Prize) new work.
Further north, Tobwabba Art Gallery in Forster features contemporary work by local Aboriginal artists, while Taree’s Manning Regional Art Gallery hosts an exhibition called ‘A Glimpse of the Manning’ during July.
The Lodge 241, Gallery and Café in Bellingen (inland from Coffs Harbour) offers great views inside and out in a gorgeously restored heritage building, while the Dervish Gallery houses a collection of artistic jewellery with Indian, African and Israeli influences. The Israeli artist, Ayala Bar, is particularly popular. Check out the Hammond and Wheatley Emporium and the Old Butter Factory as well for more beautiful arts and crafts.
Grafton, home of the bi-annual Artsfest held this year in September, is another hot spot for regional art. The Grafton Regional Gallery has more than 350 works from local artists, plus a collection of paintings, sculptures, drawings and prints. At the South Grafton Emporium see a huge range of art and craft including pottery, mosaics, sculptures and found object art and if you like to sew and embroider visit Redmill Cottage Sewing and Embroidery.
North of Ballina visit Thursday Plantation and view its permanent sculpture collection, which includes a moss-covered dining table!
You can’t beat the Byron Shire for more left-of-centre artwork such as channelled paintings. For more moderate artworks visit the Byron Bay Fine Art Gallery, which has a wide selection of paintings and sculptures from local artists, including James Guppy a finalist in this year’s Archibald Prize.
At the top of north-east NSW is the Tweed Valley home to the Tweed River Art Gallery at Murwillumbah, where you can view The Australian Portrait Collection which includes the winners and finalists of the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize.
HOT TIP: Take a few days or a few weeks to follow this trail. For full route details or to book accommodation use NRMA’s Travel Planner. If you like the flexibility of taking your lodgings with you, NRMA’s Explore Australia by Caravan lists the best caravan parks and motor home sites in the country. Call 13 11 22 or visit NRMA's online bookshop.
NSW NORTH COAST ART REGIONS ARE:
• Central Coast • Bellingen
• Lake Macquarie • Grafton
• Newcastle • Ballina
• Forster/Tuncurry • Byron Shire
• Taree • Tweed Valley
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